Fiber management frame for securely retaining optical fiber connection trays

Abstract

A fiber management frame and an interconnection closure including the fiber management frame are provided for securely retaining optical fiber connection trays once the closure is placed into service, while also permitting access to any of the trays to reconfigure the connections of the optical fibers without disturbing the remaining trays. The fiber management frame includes a support for holding at least one such tray selected from the group consisting of a splice tray, a coupler tray, and a connector panel. The fiber management frame may also include a bias member, such as one or more tension members, for urging each tray toward the support. As such, the bias member releasably secures each tray to the support. The fiber management frame may also include at least one adjustable member, such as an upstanding bracket, that cooperates with the support to define a space for housing at least one tray.

Description

[0001]This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 834,294, filed on Apr. 12, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.6,798,967.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to interconnection closures and, more particularly, to interconnection closures having a fiber management frame for securely retaining different numbers and various sizes of optical fiber connection trays within the closure.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Fiber optic networks typically include interconnection closures at various splice locations throughout the fiber optic network. Typically, these interconnection closures include splice closures, patch closures, and the like. For example, splice closures commonly house the splices required to interconnect the optical fibers of one or more fiber optic feeder cables to respective ones of the optical fibers of one or more fiber optic drop cables. By housing the splices, a splice closure protects the spliced end portions of the optic...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0018]By including at least one and, more typically, a pair of adjustable members, such as a pair of upstanding brackets, the fiber management frame may be configured to snugly receive various sizes of trays. Thus, the fiber management frame of this aspect of the present invention can further reduce the movement of the trays once the splice closure has been configured and placed into service. The fiber management frame of this aspect of the present invention can therefore further protect the connections housed by the tray from inadvertent damage attributable to unintended movement of the trays relative to one another and relative to other portions of the fiber management frame.

[0019]In addition to the various aspects of the fiber management frame described above, interconnection closures are also provided including respective fiber management frames. For example, an interconnection closur

Problems solved by technology

As such, the trays should not shift or otherwise move once the splice closure has been placed into service since any shifting or other movement of the trays could harm the connections between respective pairs of optical fibers.

Upon removing the strap, however, the trays tend to slide relative to one another and to fan out so as to no longer be stacked one upon another.

These tubes are stiffer than the optical fibers and may impose various forces upon the trays due to the manner in which the tubes have been bent during routing.

Moreover, the movement of most, if not all, of the trays can also cause inadvertent damage to the connections between respective pa

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